Luis Dávila, was a Professor in Latin American and Latino Literature at Indiana University, Bloomington. He was born in 1938 in San Antonio, Texas to parents native of Mexico. After graduating as the Valedictorian of his high-school class, Professor Dávila was awarded a full scholarship to St. Mary's University in San Antonio, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in Chemistry in 1960. Professor Dávila went on to pursue a PhD in Latin American literature at Ohio State University.
Professor Dávila joined the faculty of Indiana University in the fall of 1969, where he taught in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese until his retirement as Full Professor in 2011. At IU he was deeply involved with the Latino community for whom he advocated tirelessly and supported in every way he could.
In 2008, the Latino Alumni Association awarded Luis the Distinguished Latino Faculty Award in recognition of his outstanding achievements to Indiana University and the Indiana University Latino Community for over 30 years. He also tirelessly served the university community as a whole in many ways extending far beyond his pedagogical obligations.
Professor Dávila was considered one of the academic pioneers of Chicano and Latino Studies in the U.S. academy, founding the groundbreaking journal La RevistaChicano-Riqueña with Nick Kanellos in 1973. In 1976 he also inaugurated the interdisciplinary Chicano-Riqueño Studies Program at IU, dedicated to the study of Puerto Rican, Chicano, and other Spanish-speaking communities in the United States.
Additionally, he was the faculty advisor to the journal Chiricú, one of the few US Latino journals published from start to finish by graduate students. This multilingual journal of Latina and Latino literature and literary criticism continues to be published annually. The Chicano-Riqueño Studies Program, and the journals Chiricú and La Revista Chicano-Riqueña brought recognition to Indiana University and the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.